From the Principal

During the holidays, I happened to stumble across our student leaders practising their SRC dance routine in preparation for their item at the Secondary School’s Variety Concert for John XXIII Day. We exchanged glances and smiles, but my sense was of an importance that they best not break stride in case of lost momentum; such was the importance of polishing their routine which, as an aside, turned out to be excellent.  The staff routine was pretty special too!

In many ways, this encounter serves as a glimpse into the importance our students place on our John XXIII Day celebration and how proud they are of their College. During the Year 12 Principal’s Lunches, when asked what is so special about our College, John XXIII Day often features high on the list. The opportunity to come together and celebrate who we are as a community is highly valued.

We have explored more deeply our understanding of community this year, given it is 40 years since the College joined as one campus at Mount Claremont. During a Secondary School Assembly, the students have heard about the old saying, ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ and the importance of gratitude when considering those who have come before us. As staff, we have taken the time to reflect and consider our own staff community and the students in our care. To recognise them as individuals, each with God-given talents and dreams, different backgrounds and histories, varied personalities, quirky idiosyncrasies. 

All of them, and all of us, also with limitations, struggling with the human condition. We each, though, form an integral part of what is a thriving community.

So, it is with this in mind that we celebrate 40 years in our common home during today’s John XXIII Day, recognising that a home is much more than the buildings and grounds we share. Instead, we celebrate a time when four campuses joined as one and are reminded that we, too, are many members, at best striving to be one body in mission.

Daniel Mahon

Principal